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The Importance of Outdoor Space: Children's Perceptions of the School Environment and Its Influence on Their Well-Being

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Title: The Importance of Outdoor Space: Children's Perceptions of the School Environment and Its Influence on Their Well-Being
Language: English
Authors: Emma Fogarty (ORCID 0009-0008-0161-6049), Fiona Hurley, Carol Barron
Source: Health Education Journal. 2026 85(3):275-285.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Descriptors: Well Being, Educational Environment, Student Attitudes, Preadolescents, Rural Schools, Correlation, Foreign Countries, Grade 6, Play, Friendship, Playgrounds, Safety, Discipline, Classroom Environment, Gender Bias
Geographic Terms: Ireland
DOI: 10.1177/00178969251406779
ISSN: 0017-8969
1748-8176
Abstract: Background: The concept of children's well-being is central to international child health agendas. Acquiring relevant cognitive and social-emotional skills during the formative years is key to shaping future mental health and preparing societies to be prosperous, sustainable and inclusive. Schools are ideally placed to foster a culture of well-being in addition to education, particularly as children refine their emotional skills during this stage of development. To gain insight into well-being at school, acknowledgement of children's voices and perspective is imperative. Objective: This study sought to establish children's perceptions of the school environment and how physical space influenced their sense of well-being. Design: Qualitative descriptive approach. Setting: Rural school in Ireland. Method: Four focus-group discussions were conducted with 21 children (aged 10-12 years). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings. Results: Children identified a correlation between their perceived well-being and the physical school environment. Outdoor spaces were associated with positive well-being, while indoor spaces were linked to negative well-being. Conclusion: The study findings carry policy and practice implications for teachers and administrators. To enhance well-being in the physical school space, attention must be given to outdoor play areas and surfaces, children's physical comfort and well-structured break times. In addition, well-being needs to be recognised as something that children experience and express in various ways; thus, paying close attention to the child's voice is vital when researching matters that directly affect them.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501807
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: The Importance of Outdoor Space: Children's Perceptions of the School Environment and Its Influence on Their Well-Being
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emma+Fogarty%22">Emma Fogarty</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0161-6049">0009-0008-0161-6049</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fiona+Hurley%22">Fiona Hurley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carol+Barron%22">Carol Barron</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Health+Education+Journal%22"><i>Health Education Journal</i></searchLink>. 2026 85(3):275-285.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Label: Peer Reviewed
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  Data: Y
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  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 11
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preadolescents%22">Preadolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Play%22">Play</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Friendship%22">Friendship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Playgrounds%22">Playgrounds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Safety%22">Safety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Discipline%22">Discipline</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classroom+Environment%22">Classroom Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Bias%22">Gender Bias</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ireland%22">Ireland</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/00178969251406779
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0017-8969<br />1748-8176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: The concept of children's well-being is central to international child health agendas. Acquiring relevant cognitive and social-emotional skills during the formative years is key to shaping future mental health and preparing societies to be prosperous, sustainable and inclusive. Schools are ideally placed to foster a culture of well-being in addition to education, particularly as children refine their emotional skills during this stage of development. To gain insight into well-being at school, acknowledgement of children's voices and perspective is imperative. Objective: This study sought to establish children's perceptions of the school environment and how physical space influenced their sense of well-being. Design: Qualitative descriptive approach. Setting: Rural school in Ireland. Method: Four focus-group discussions were conducted with 21 children (aged 10-12 years). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings. Results: Children identified a correlation between their perceived well-being and the physical school environment. Outdoor spaces were associated with positive well-being, while indoor spaces were linked to negative well-being. Conclusion: The study findings carry policy and practice implications for teachers and administrators. To enhance well-being in the physical school space, attention must be given to outdoor play areas and surfaces, children's physical comfort and well-structured break times. In addition, well-being needs to be recognised as something that children experience and express in various ways; thus, paying close attention to the child's voice is vital when researching matters that directly affect them.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1501807
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        Value: 10.1177/00178969251406779
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 275
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preadolescents
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      – SubjectFull: Rural Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Correlation
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
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      – SubjectFull: Play
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      – SubjectFull: Friendship
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      – SubjectFull: Playgrounds
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      – SubjectFull: Safety
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      – SubjectFull: Discipline
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      – SubjectFull: Classroom Environment
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Bias
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      – SubjectFull: Ireland
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      – TitleFull: The Importance of Outdoor Space: Children's Perceptions of the School Environment and Its Influence on Their Well-Being
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